


Gray Lines

by IvaWrote



Category: Gravity Rush
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gray moralities, Multi, general fucking with canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-03-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 03:52:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9639638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvaWrote/pseuds/IvaWrote
Summary: Syd was prepared, more than he had thought necessary when Xicero attempted to murder his queen. But a knife to the man's throat, and his queen was safe from the threat he had presented. Queen Alua, however, found herself on the receiving end of a deadly, loyal servant, with no loyalties to anyone but her. It was time to get rid of the kid gloves. She was done playing nice.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nebty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebty/gifts).



He’d heard the whispers. The subtle looks his way when the Queen was so much as mentioned – the dark way their eyes skittered away from her. Alua, bless her sweet, innocent heart, was clueless to the truth, the hidden dangers in the court that refuses to acknowledge her as queen. He’d been forced to start carrying a knife, when their gazes had become more than just disgust and slid into the realm of hate.

The truth makes him furious – she _was_ their queen, she had earned it, and so what if her Guardian had yet to manifest? She did not need one to be a true queen – she was compassionate and brave and _kind_. She deserved their adulation, not their _scorn_. Heat curls in his heart, fire and anger and something like disgust in his expression as he stalks past his fellow councilmembers.

Syd in a bad mood was always to be avoided – few nobles dared get on his bad side when his expression twisted in such a way. There is no explanation today for his bad mood aside from the fact that Syd had yet to see his queen or Xicero. Unease in the pit of his stomach, he’s quick to move to the balconies and catwalks that litter the castle.

It’s there that he sees them – his queen clinging to the railing, Xicero gloating maliciously above her. She’s slipping, and Xicero is doing nothing to stop it. His vision hazes with red. A knife is thrown, and Xicero sees it too late, blood splashing over his throat as Syd’s hand catches Alua’s own.

Her terrified expression fills with relief, and a smile blooms over her face, her other hand reaching for him as he hauls her up and over the barrier, his queen quivering in his grasp with tears on her cheeks.

“Syd… Thank you,” She whispers, before he pulls away, kneeling before her. “Syd?” Her question is confused.

“I await my punishment my queen.” He said apologetically, and she takes a tiny step back. He had saved her – why would he ask about punish… ment? Her eyes slide over the flagstones, and she can see why.

Xicero laid on the ground, a knife in his throat and blood pooling through the flagstones. Her senior advisor was dead. A small hand presses to her mouth, shock and disbelief as she stared at the gruesome sight. Syd is unmoving, head down, forehead pressed against his knee.

He’d killed someone. For _her_. Tears sting at her eyes, and she can’t help but utter the words aloud. “You killed him.”

“I did, your majesty.” He agreed, solemn and unyielding. His face is flushed with shame, and she rests her hand on his hair. It’s a marvel, how the man who had begged her to not push so much on her designs for the people of below had committed the ultimate act of loyalty to her.

“You wanted me to stop,” She reminded him softly. Why would he have changed his mind? He had seemed so willing to abandon her – or was that her own insecurities who had egged her on – claimed he would not be there for her?

“I wanted nothing more than to protect you.” The words steal her breath and her heart – her eyes are wide with surprise and shock.

“ _Why?_ ” She asked, sliding unsteadily to her knees. Syd wanted to protect _her?_ What had she done to deserve such protection? She’s not asking why he wanted to, but why he would after his attempt to stop her. What loyalty did he have to her?

“Because you were right. I’m sorry.” It’s a bare whisper, his apology, but she wouldn’t have it, cupping his cheeks and tilting his head up, to meet his brilliant amber eyes. He’s tense and ready to accept his punishment. He knows she finds killing repugnant, how much she dislikes it. But at the same time, she can’t help but be touched by the lengths he had gone to protect her.

“Don’t apologize.” He was her friend, her guardian, her defender. She couldn’t let her dislike of the act stop her from appreciating the absolute loyalty that he had displayed for her. “Would you do this for me again?” She asked, and his eyes widen with surprise. He knows her, knows her disgust, her hate, her repugnance of the act. But a Queen cannot always be kind. His eyes fill with acknowledgement at her, knows that she will have nightmares tonight.

At least, of the human variety rather than of the storm.

“ _Gladly_ , your majesty. I will destroy all who stand in your way.” His words are steady – Alua would have never have known it was her first kill if she hadn’t known him as well as she had. He doesn’t hesitate to sell is soul and his love to her, as if she already had it the entire time. Her cheeks flush soft pink, and she runs a hand through his hair.

“Then stand up.” She tells him. “You and I have work to do.” She is standing against incredible odds – with no guardian, no protector save Syd. She was unprotected, and Syd would go spare protecting her – she knew how he cared and worried and fussed over her, how he fought to keep her safe in her own court. She would need a weapon, or a guardian.

Her world tilts sideways – just for a moment, and the faintest outline of a starry panther curls around her protector, before he stands and offers her his arm. He is a promise of things to come.

An omen of the war she would be fighting.


	2. Late Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief moment after Syd brings Alua to her room.

His queen sleeps silently, every soft breath echoing in the dark of the room. He is too jittery to sleep, constantly polishing his retrieved knife over and over again.

It had been a trick and a half to get Alua and her slowly manifesting Guardian away from those catwalks, sneak her past all the guards and into her room. Now, her guardian laid under her bed, his companion in keeping his queen safe.

It wouldn’t be long before the alarm was raised – for Xicero’s body to be found, and for fingers to point themselves in her direction. His gaze slides to her once more, and he’s startled to realize she is awake, head pillowed against her hand and expression full of sleepy interest. He smiles, sheepishly, and Alua’s small hands reach out for him.

“You worry too much Syd,” She murmurs, and his cheeks flush apologetically.

“It’s what I do, majesty.” He’s looking at her sheepishly. Alua hums, reaches for him again. This time he joins her, shedding his shirt and footwear to join his queen on the thick, comfortably downy sheets of her bed.

“I know.” She sighs, curling herself closer to him. “I wish you didn’t have to.” He bites back the sharp retort on the tip of his tongue, before smiling at her ruefully instead. He appreciates the sentiment, after all, and Alua doesn’t deserve to be treated so unkindly by him – she’s suffered enough from her near death that the acid tongue he’s known for does not need to be included in the package.

“I wish I didn’t have to either.” A tiny sigh leaves her, as she burrows deeper into his chest. Thankfully, the palace has darkened for the evening – by the time morning rose, Xicero would have frosted over and the little evidence left would be destroyed by the cleaners long before anyone could point a finger at him. His lips curl into a slightly vicious smirk, and he keeps his sweet little Alua close, not allowing her to see his expression as he tamely ran his fingers through her hair.

“Syd… You and I… You wouldn’t do what Xicero did to me?” She sounds so heartbroken, and Syd can’t help but squeeze her closer, kisses the top of her blonde head.

“Never. If you and I have a problem, we’ll sort it out together.” Alua nods against his chest, each tiny breath a reassurance that his queen was alive, safe, and that he had not failed her at all. She blinks up at him tiredly, before giving him a smile and leaning in to kiss his jaw lazily. He’s sweet to her, she thinks lazily, looking up at him drowsily when Syd gives her a startled blink.

“I don’t deserve you,” She yawns softly, purring into his touch like the feline her guardian represented. That made his arms go tight around her shoulders.

“You deserve so much more, your majesty.” He murmurs, fierce. But it’s no use – she’s dropped off to sleep in that way of hers when she’s long since stressed her pretty little self out. He chuckles softly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head once more, and closes his own eyes.

He hoped that his presence, meager as it may have been, would allow her to sleep without nightmares.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early morning before the senate, Alua faces herself.

Alua’s slightly confused when she wakes up. She’s never woken in the arms of a man before that was not her father, and so she spends a long moment quietly contemplating the absolute protection that she felt from his arms. Syd was like a furnace, his heartbeat pulsing steadily from where her ear laid against his chest, a balm to her uneasy nerves. She hums softly. This was nice. If Syd stayed with her like this all day, she didn’t think she’d have anything to fear for the rest of her life. As much as she would have enjoyed staying here, she knows she doesn’t have time to be lazy, and kisses his cheek. He gives a tired noise, before stirring awake, looks down at her with a faint smile.

“Good morning your majesty. I trust you slept well?” She huffs at him a little. Trust Syd to ignore himself and look at her first. She retorts primly, pokes his nose to make him blink in surprise.

“Did _you_?” She said, watching him as he gives her a very soft smile. It lights up his eyes, makes his lips twist into the softest, most honest expression of pleasure that she had ever seen on his face.

“I’ve never slept better.” He said the words with such sincerity, they make her face flush with embarrassed pleasure. “Now, did you rest well?” He asked it again, smiles at her shyly and quietly. She answers this time, blushing.

“Wonderfully,” She admits, and a low chuckle rumbles from his chest.

“I’m glad to hear it,” He kisses her cheek gently, before detangling himself from his queen. “We should get you ready for today.” He murmurs, and Alua groans, stretching out and burying her face in the pillows.

“I know…” She did _not_ want to face the day, everything that had happened last night still a hazy, washed out nightmare of betrayal and pain. Below her bed, her feline companion pokes his head out, licks her hand where it hangs over the bed. She squeaks in surprise, shooting up and clutching her hand to her chest. Syd turns back to face her, and the look on her face makes him chuckle softly, voice low and eyes full of warmth as he watches her.

“Come along, your majesty,” He smiles at her gently, and finally, defeated by Syd’s slightly pleading look, she slips out of the warmth of the bed, her feet coming into contact with the plush fur that covered her bedroom. She unsteadily wobbles, and the feline pokes his head out from under the blankets, trots over to allow her to sit down on his back when she sinks down, suddenly dizzy. “Your majesty!” He kneels before her, long fingers cradling the back of her head as his eyes watch her, contemplation and concern in them.

“I’m sorry Syd… I think I got up too fast when Dusty licked my hand.” She gives a weak laugh, and Syd’s forehead presses against her own, his steady breathing helping her calm down faster. He smiles back at her, fingers combing down her blonde hair until it’s smooth against her scalp.

“It’s alright your majesty.” He murmurs, nuzzling her neck. “Just startled me is all. Now come on. While I’m sure any other advisor would give you the chance to relax, this just shows you need sunlight. Come along now.” Alua makes a face in his direction, and his laughter is softer, gentler. “I know, your majesty. But if you hide, the council will believe you had something to do with Xicero’s death.” At the mention of Xicero, her lips curl into a tiny frown.

“Why?” She asked softly. “What would motivate him to… To kill me?” Her lower lip wobbles, and Syd’s hands cup her face, his mouth presses against her forehead.

“I don’t know your majesty.” His voice was soft. “But Xicero wasn’t right… You are a good queen. And you will become a _great_ queen.” Her head bows, and as his thumbs gently wipes her tears away with slow, steady motions.

“Thank you Syd. I needed to hear that.” He smiles again at her, and he kneels before her.

“As always your majesty, I live to serve.” She smiles bitterly, and accepts his words without flinching.

“I know.” She did know… Syd was so loyal to her, and had last night gone any differently, perhaps Syd and she would have died. “Stand up please. We have work to do.” The incomprehensible depths of his eyes shift, and the warmth in him seems to die.

“Of course your majesty.”

**Author's Note:**

> All the blame lays on Nebty's tumblr where they made me thirsty for Kat/Syd interactions. May have more chapters eventually.


End file.
